German Patent DE 100 59 112 C1, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, describes a dishwasher having a turbidity sensor provided in a wash-water circuit to measure the soil level of the wash liquid. Automatic wash cycles can then be performed as selected or modified according to the detected signals, for example, to add additional intermediate rinse cycles, thus making it possible to optimize the dishwashing sequence. The choice of wash cycles also includes fixedly predetermined, standard wash cycles, during which the values measured by the turbidity sensor are not evaluated. A dishwasher of this type is problematic in that it does not provide the user with any feedback that would allow him or her to make a better choice the next time he or she selects a wash cycle. If the user constantly chooses a wash cycle that is inadequate for the existing soil load, resources may be unnecessarily wasted.